Closure-operated safety switch for automatic appliance

ABSTRACT

A safety switch to terminate the operation of an automatic appliance when a closure is moved from a closed position is provided including a cabinet-carried escutcheon movable laterally for alignment with an elongate, closure-carried projection adapted to engage a switch actuator disposed beneath the escutcheon. The escutcheon has a substantially centrally located aperture formed therethrough, the aperture being tapered provides a relatively large outer diameter facing the closure carried projection, and a relatively small inner diameter adjacent the interior of the cabinet. The inner diameter of the aperture is sufficiently small to prevent manual operation of the switch by an operator attempting to extend his finger through the aperture.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Aidan M. Stone Louisville, Ky. [2 1] Appl. No. 74,012 [22] Filed Sept. 21, 1970 [45] Patented Nov. 16, 1971 73] Assignee General Electric Company [54] CLOSURE-OPERATED SAFETY SWITCH FOR AUTOMATIC APPLIANCE 3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs. [52] U.S. Cl ZOO/61.62, 68/23 [5]] Int.Cl H0lh3/l6 [50] Field of Search 200/6 l .62. 61.7, 6l.76, 61.79, 61.8, 61.81, 61.82, 61.83, 61.59; 340/274 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,222,473 l2/l965 Delhase ZOO/61.62

3,018,649 1/1962 Barbulescoetal.... 3,373.660 3/1968 Haas ABSTRACT: A safety switch to terminate the operation of an automatic appliance when a closure is moved from a closed position is provided including a cabinet-carried escutcheon movable laterally for alignment with an elongate, closure-carried projection adapted to engage a switch actuator disposed beneath the escutcheon. The escutcheon has a substantially centrally located aperture formed therethrough, the aperture being tapered provides a relatively large outer diameter facing the closure carried projection, and a relatively small inner diameter adjacent the interior of the cabinet. The inner diameter of the aperture is sufficiently small to prevent manual operation of the switch by an operator attempting to extend his finger through the aperture.

PATENTEDNDY 1s l97| 3.621 165 INVENTOR.

Al DAN M. STONE H\S ATTORNEY CLOSURE-OPERATED SAFETY SWITCH FOR AUTOMATIC APPLIANCE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In conjunction with many domestic automatic appliances which have a cabinet and so complicated as to be unreliable in operation.

It is therefore an object ofthe present invention to provide a new and improved, simple and inexpensive safety switch It is a further object of this invention to provide such a switch means as is not readily manually operable by an operator when the closure is in the open position.

It is still a further object to provide such an improved switch means having cabinet-carried and closure-carried components which are self-aligning thereby alleviating the need for closetolerance-manufacturing alignment of such components.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided in a domestic appliance including a cabinet having an opening therethrough to the interior of the appliance and having a closure member adapted to move between an open position small inner diameter therewith when the closure is closed, thereby enabling the projection to extend through the aperture and contact the switch actuator to operate the switch.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING panying drawing, in which:

FIG. I is a partial perspective view of a machine which may include the safety switch stant invention; and

fabric-washing means of the in- FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, partially in cross section, and I taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing the closure member of the machine of FIG. 1 in a partially open position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT centrifugally extracting liquid therefrom.

Extending upwardly from the rear portion of cabinet ll is a typical control console 12 which may support and house a series of control means l3, l4, and 15. Such control means are included in the usual manner to provide effective operative control of the sequence of operations performed by the apparatus contained within the cabinet 11.

The top of cabinet 11 has an opening 16 formed therethrough to the interior of the machine. A closure member 17 is pivotally mounted so as to move between an open position and a closed the opening 16 to the interior of the cabinet. The closure member 17 in its closed position serves to cover not only the opening 16 but also a portion 18 of the cabinet 11 adjacent the opening. As may be best seen in FIG. 2, portion 18 may comprise a recessed region which terminates in a downwardly flared substantially annular lip 19 defining opening 16. Closure 17 may comprise an inverted pan-shaped structure, and the pivotal connection between closure 17 and the cabinet ll may be formed by a pair of brackets 20, the outer ends 21 of slots 24.

As was previously pointed out, it is desirable in connection with such appliances as washing machine I0 to provide a closure-operated safety switch means which will terminate the Opening 29 through portion 18 is relatively large in diameter to the diameter of elongate projection 28 which passes therethrough. In order to close the area of opening 29 not occupied by projection 28, and in order to prevent manual operation of switch 31 by an operator projecting his finger through opening 29 and into contact with switch actuator 30, a specially designed escutcheon member 33 is provided. Escutcheon member 33 is positioned within opening 29 and is adapted for movement relative thereto a limited distance in all directions, it being seen that a radially extending groove 34 adapted to receive such area of portion 18 as surrounds opening 29 extends inwardly to an inner diameter which is substantially less than that of opening 29. Moreover, the outer periphery of escutcheon 33 is seen to be of relatively large diameter such that the escutcheon is adapted to engage and cover the entire periphery of opening 29, regardless of the lateral position of the escutcheon 33 within opening 29. Escutcheon 33 additionally includes a centrally located aperture 35 formed therethrough, the aperture 35 being tapered to provide a relatively large outer diameter-facing closure member 17 and a relatively small inner diameter adjacent the interior ofthe cabinet.

Elongate projection 28 is carried by closure 17 by means of a bracket 36 rigidly secured thereto, and comprises a relatively long pan-shaped projection having a rounded, bluntly pointed, lower end adapted to engage tapered aperture 35 so as to move escutcheon 33 laterally relative to portion 18 so as to align escutcheon 33 with projection 28 thereby permitting projection 28 to extend through the relatively small inner diameter of aperture 35 and into contact with switch actuator 30 which is of relatively large diameter and is positioned adjacent the inner diameter of aperture 35 so as to be aligned with aperture 35 regardless of the position of escutcheon 33 within opening 29. By this arrangement, access to switch actuator 30 may be had only through aperture 35, and aperture 35 is seen to be self-aligning with projection 28 so as to facilitate the operation of switch 31 upon movement of closure 17. v

The present invention thereby provides two significant advantages over most known safety switch meansfFirstly, it will be seen that cabinet-carried escutcheon 33 is self-aligning with closure-carried projection 28 whereby close tolerance adjustment of the relative positions of these members is not critical and the members may thereby be manufactured and assembled with a minimum of expense. Secondly, as aperture 35 is tapered with the inner diameter thereof being of relatively small dimension, it will be seen that switch actuator 30 is not readily accessible to an operator who may desire to restart the appliance with closure 17 open by attempting to project his finger through aperture 35 and into engagement with switch actuator 30. Moreover, escutcheon member 33 may be constructed of a material which is sufficiently rigid to prevent manual operation of the switch by depression of the escutcheon through opening 29 and into engagement with switch actuator 30.

From the foregoing description, it should now be apparent that the present invention, by providing a safety-switch means having cabinet-carried and closure-carried components thereof which are self-aligning, and by providing limited access to the switch actuator by means of a specially designed escutcheon having a tapered opening, provides a safety switch means which is simple and inexpensive in design and which is highly reliable in operation.

As will be evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the invention are not limited to the particular details of construction of the example illustrated, and it is contemplated that various modifications or alternate applications will occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore intended that the appended claims shall cover such modifications and applications as do not depart from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. in a domestic automatic appliance including a cabinet having an opening therethrough to the interior of the appliance and having a closure member adapted to move between an open position and a closed position to control access through the opening to the interior of the cabinet, the closure member in its closed position serving to cover not only the opening but also a portion of the cabinet, the improvement of a safety switch means adapted to terminate the operation of the appliance when the closure member is moved from the closed position, the switch means comprising:

a relatively large opening formed through the portion of the cabinet covered by the closure member when in the closed position;

an escutcheon member positioned within said opening and adapted for movement relative thereto a limited distance in all directions, said escutcheon member being adapted to engage and cover the entire periphery of said opening at all times regardless of its position within said opening;

said escutcheon member additionally having a substantially centrally located aperture formed therethrough, said aperture being tapered to provide a relatively large outer diameter facing the closure member and a relatively small inner diameter adjacent the interior ofthe cabinet;

an electrical switch disposed within the cabinet and having an actuator of relatively large diameter positioned adjacent the inner diameter of said aperture so as to be aligned with said aperture regardless of the position of said escutcheon member within said opening, whereby access to said switch actuator may be had only through said aperture;

said inner diameter of said aperture being sufficiently small to prevent manual operation of said switch by an operator attempting to extend his finger through said aperture; and

an elongate projection of relatively small diameter carried by the closure member and adapted to engage said tapered aperture and to move said escutcheon member so as to align said relatively small inner diameter therewith when the closure member is closed, thereby enabling said projection to extend through said aperture and contact said switch actuator to operate said switch.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said escutcheon member comprises a material which is sufficiently rigid to prevent manual operation of said switch by the depression of said escutcheon through said opening into engagement with said switch actuator.

3. In a centrifuging device including a cabinet having an opening therethrough to the interior of the device and having a closure member adapted to move between an open position and a closed position to control access through the opening to the interior of the cabinet, the closure member in its closed position serving to cover not only the opening but also a portion of the cabinet, a container mounted within the cabinet for rotation, and electrically operated drive means adapted to rotate the container, the improvement of a safety-switch means connected in electrical series with the drive means and adapted to terminate the operation of the device when the closure member is moved from the closed position, the switch means comprising:

a relatively large opening formed through the portion of the cabinet covered by the closure member when in the closed position;

an escutcheon member positioned within said opening and adapted for movement relative thereto a limited distance in all directions, said escutcheon member being adapted to engage and cover the entire periphery of said opening at all times regardless of its position within said opening;

said escutcheon member additionally having a substantially centrally located aperture formed therethrough, said aperture being tapered to provide a relatively large outer diameter facing the closure member and a relatively small inner diameter adjacent the interior of the cabinet;

an electrical switch means disposed within the cabinet and having an actuator of relatively large diameter positioned an elongate projection of relatively small diameter carried by the closure member and adapted to engage said tapered aperture and to move said escutcheon member so as to align said relatively small inner diameter therewith when the closure is closed, thereby enabling said projection to extend through said aperture and contact said switch actuator to operate said electrical switch means.

'0' I I i '0' 

1. In a domestic automatic appliance including a cabinet having an opening therethrough to the interior of the appliance and having a closure member adapted to move between an open position and a closed position to control access through the opening to the interior of the cabinet, the closure member in its closed position serving to cover not only the opening but also a portion of the cabinet, the improvement of a safety switch means adapted to terminate the operation of the appliance when the closure member is moved from the closed position, the switch means comprising: a relatively large opening formed through the portion of the cabinet covered by the closure member when in the closed position; an escutcheon member positioned within said opening and adapted for movement relative thereto a limited distance in all directions, said escutcheon member being adapted to engage and cover the entire periphery of said opening at all times regardless of its position within said opening; said escutcheon member additionally having a substantially centrally located aperture formed therethrough, said aperture being tapered to provide a relatively large outer diameter facing the closure member and a relatively small inner diameter adjacent the interior of the cabinet; an electrical switch disposed within the cabinet and having an actuator of relatively large diameter positioned adjacent the inner diameter of said aperture so as to be aligned with said aperture regardless of the position of said escutcheon member within said opening, whereby access to said switch actuator may be had only through said aperture; said inner diameter of said aperture being sufficiently small to prevent manual operation of said switch by an operator attempting to extend his finger through said aperture; and an elongate projection of relatively small diameter carried by the closure member and adapted to engage said tapered aperture and to move said escutcheon member so as to align said relatively small inner diameter therewith when the closure member is closed, thereby enabling said projection to extend through said aperture and contact said switch actuator to operate said switch.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said escutcheon member comprises a material which is sufficiently rigid to prevent manual operation of said switch by the depression of said escuTcheon through said opening into engagement with said switch actuator.
 3. In a centrifuging device including a cabinet having an opening therethrough to the interior of the device and having a closure member adapted to move between an open position and a closed position to control access through the opening to the interior of the cabinet, the closure member in its closed position serving to cover not only the opening but also a portion of the cabinet, a container mounted within the cabinet for rotation, and electrically operated drive means adapted to rotate the container, the improvement of a safety-switch means connected in electrical series with the drive means and adapted to terminate the operation of the device when the closure member is moved from the closed position, the switch means comprising: a relatively large opening formed through the portion of the cabinet covered by the closure member when in the closed position; an escutcheon member positioned within said opening and adapted for movement relative thereto a limited distance in all directions, said escutcheon member being adapted to engage and cover the entire periphery of said opening at all times regardless of its position within said opening; said escutcheon member additionally having a substantially centrally located aperture formed therethrough, said aperture being tapered to provide a relatively large outer diameter facing the closure member and a relatively small inner diameter adjacent the interior of the cabinet; an electrical switch means disposed within the cabinet and having an actuator of relatively large diameter positioned adjacent the inner diameter of said aperture so as to be aligned with said aperture regardless of the position of said escutcheon member within said opening, whereby access to said switch actuator may be had only through said aperture; said inner diameter of said aperture being sufficiently small to prevent manual operation of said electrical switch means by an operator attempting to extend his finger through said aperture; and an elongate projection of relatively small diameter carried by the closure member and adapted to engage said tapered aperture and to move said escutcheon member so as to align said relatively small inner diameter therewith when the closure is closed, thereby enabling said projection to extend through said aperture and contact said switch actuator to operate said electrical switch means. 